X-ray generating means



1945- E. R. GOLD FIELD ET AL 3 3 X-RAY GENERATING MEANS Original FiledApril 2, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 EDWIN R. Gown/5L0 RALPH C. SCH/RING I28I25 ROBERT J. STAVA 5V ATTORNEYS Feb.- 13, 1945.

E. R. GOLDFIELD ET AL RAYGENERATING MEANS Original Filed April 2, 1941IIIIIIIIIIIJ:'IIIIIIIIIII 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 file v FIG-9 FIG.- l2

INVENTORS EDWIN R GOLDF/ELD RALPH C. Scrum/w; ROBERT I STA v4 i and 3; i

Fig. 8 is a view of a cross arm ina position dis- Patented F eb. 13,1945 STATES PATENT OFFICE -R RATIN ANS Edwin R. Goldfield, Ralph C.Schiring, and Robert J. Stava, University Heights, Ohio, assignors toPicker X-Ray Corporation Waite Manufacturing Division, Inc., Cleveland,Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application Apribzplil ll', SerialNo.

386.390. Divided and this applicationlluly 18, i

for determining the position of a foreign body in a patient. i

Our invention also contemplates the construction and arrangement of theparts of the mobile unit and the construction whereby the differentparts may be disassembled and packedinto a small spacesothat the deviceis capable of use as a field unit by the army. with a maximum of Otherobjects andwadvantages of thepresent invention will appear from-theaccompanying description and drawingsand the'essentialfeatures willbeset forth in theclaims. w

This application is a division of our copending application, Ser. No.386,390, filed April 21941. Our copending application Ser..No. 451,4l6,filed July 18, 1942, disclosing the same device;contains claims tocertain features not claimedlherein.

In the drawings,

1942.. SerialNo. 451,415 V p 7 Claims. 01.250 92) Fig. 13 is an enlargedfragmental sectionalview taken along the line l3 -l 3 of Fig.1; and vFig. -14-isa top plan View of the basecarriage [4 M or Fig. i 3 r r Themobile unit here disclosed maybe protaken approximately from theposition of the line vided withthe tracl; or Figs. loandb where the unitis to be used in the field where a separate fioor or trackmust beprovided. Itis useful however without such'extratrack, in which case theunitmay be moved about on the floor of a hospital or ther room and suchuse of the unit is contemplated. The unit therefore is mounted upon abase carriage which as shown in the various views 'is built upof sheetmetal parts p re1- erably welded together to give ag'enerallyrectanusefulness and requiring the minimum of space.

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of our improvedapparatus Fig. 2 is asectionalview taken along the line Fig. 3 is a side elevational view oftheapparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3A is an view taken along the lin'e3A3A of Fig.3;

Fig. 4 isa top plan view of a base floor or track along whichtheapparatus may be moved;

Fig. 5 is an enlargedtransverse sectional view.

taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4; l

. Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the apparatus of.

Fig. 3; a

Fig. '7 isan exploded view of a portion of the. localizer attachment ofFigs. 1v

foreign body assembled from its associated parts ofFig. 6;

Fig. 8A is a top planview of the cross arm of F g- Fig. 9 is a securetheverticalmast sections together;

:Fig. 10 is a view of an end plate associated with the cross arm ofFigs. Band 8A; i it i Fig. 11 is an enlargedverti'cal sectionalview;through the lower section of the vertical mast; Fig. 12 is a transversesectionalyiew taken;

along the lin of enlarged fragmental sectional viewof the folding drawbolts which gular carriage supportedat one end by the two swivelingcasters 26 and at the other end by the twowheels 21 which are supportedupon axles 28 suitably mounted in -thecarriage 25. Preferably all of thewheels have rubbertires. The caster wheels was best seen in Fig. 13aremounted on forks 28 whicharecarr'ied by suitable studs 29 inthe carriage25.. The wheels are on ball bear ings and the casters preferablyalsofhave ball bearing mountings. Preferably means is provided forfixing the casters in position so that the wheels 26 areparallel to thewheels 27 to insure movement of carriage 25 in a straight line when ithat is" desired. Tothis end each fork 28 is provided with a notch 28ainto whicha bolt aumay be inserted when desired'to fix the castersagainst turning. This bolt 30 has threaded engagement at sl with aportion of the carriage 25 and extendsabove the top of the carriagewhere the bolt has a knurled end sea for itslmanipulation. a

Y The carriageis provided with a square well 32 into which fitstnebottom of a transformer case 33.] This case houses the usual hightension transformer adapted to 'receive current at sixty. cycles and lowvoltage from any ,fieldgenerator equipment when used under army fieldconditions orfromany othersuitable source when used under hospitalconditions, The transformer of course will step up the current to thehigh voltage requirements for X-ray work. The transformer casing ispreferably provided with ahandle 34. on

each sideso that it maybe moreeasily lifted. In

the upper portion of the transformercasing is a recess 35 adaptedtoTreceive thelower. end 36a of the control box-.36. This box houses anyusual standard control circuits for X-ray equipment'ineluding" controlknobs 31 and meters 38 sothat.

' v the equipment maybe-set for thepro'per operat mg conditions as isWell understood in this art.

attachment of a hand timer if desired, a foot cone trol switch and otherauxiliary equipment. Also a connection (not shown) is provided betweenthe control circuits in box 35 and the transformer in the'casing 33. Allconnections of separable wire connections differ in size, shape orarrangement so that proper connections are always assured. Shockproofcables 40 are connected bebers 51 is provided with a centrally locatedtween the upper rear portion of the transformer in casing 33 and theX-ray 'tube to he later described. The disassembled position of the basecarriage, the transformercasing and the control boxis shown in Fig. 6and the assembled position of these parts is shown in Figs. land 3, Asbest viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, these .parts are held in assembledrelationshipby means of retaining rods 4|; one at each side of the unit,attached between the handle 39 at the top and a suitable opening 42 inthe base carriage. Each rod has an overcenter toggle securing device 4la so' as to hold the parts firmly in position. When the unit isdisassembled for packing in the field kit each of the rods is fastenedto the top of the base carriage, one on each side thereof, betweenthe'points 43 and 44 shown in Fig. .14. r r

A vertical mast 45 is provided at one end of the base carriage uponwhich is mounted a vertically movable arm supporting carriage. Thiscarriage 46 in turn supports thehorizontal cross threaded portion 62located in a cup-shape depression below the sleeve projection 5111. Whenthe bolt BI is extended downwardly through the hollowltubular mastsections the cup-shape re 'cess (guides. the end 6111 of the bolt, intothe threaded opening '62, after which turning of the nut Bla causes thethread Bic to engage the threads at 62 so as to tightly draw the mastsections together. Each bolt BI is provided with a foldable joint as at6| e so that the bolts may be packed in the field kit. The length of theupper, central and lower sections of the mast when dis-' assembled asshown in Fig. 6 are of approximately. the same length as'the longerdimension of the base carriage so that these parts will all fit in thesame chest.

arm 4! upon the end of which is mounted a. C-

bracket 48 which carries the fluoroscopic screen 49 and the X-ray tube50. The mast is mounted for rotation in a well casting 5| (Figs. 11 and14) which is secured by bolts 52 to the base cara pair. of paralleltubes53 tied together at the top by tie bars 54. The middle section iscomposed of the separate tubular members 55 and 56 and the bottomsection is composed of parallel tubular members 51 tied together at thelower end by tie bars 58 and intermediate the ends mounted in a bearingdisk 59. The lefthand tubes 53', 55 and 51 of Fig. 6 have securedrigidly to one side thereof rack members 60 which coactwith mechanism inthe cross-arm supporting carriage 46 for the raising and lowering ofthat carriage. These rack members are very carefully located on theirrespective tubes so that when the mast is assembled the rack members arein accurate alinement. the various tubular members of the mast comprisesleeve projections 55a and 55aaccurately finished with very smalltolerances to fit in the respective coacting lower 'ends of the tubularmembers 53. Positioning means comprises the small pins 551) and 561),respectively, which enterinto notches 5311 when the parts are assembled;"In a similar fashion the sleeve projections 51a on the lower mastsection fit 'into the lower ends or the tubes 55"and56." Themas't isheld together as a whole by means of folding draw bolts 61 bestillustrated in Fig. 9. Each of these bolts carries awing nut 61a at theupper end and a centering washer 5 lb. The lower section'of the bolt-isthreaded asat 51c and carries a guide extensionfild. It will be notedfrom Fig. 11 that each of the tubular mem The separable connectionsbetween The details of the mounting of the mast 45 in the base casting5| are best seen in Figs. 11 and 12. 'This base casting has an annularperpendicular bearing surface at 5la adapted to coact with. thecorresponding annular surface 59a of the disk .59. One of the tubularsections 51 carries .a bearing roller 63 on a shaft 64 which .extendsthrough the tubeand is secured by. a nut 65., The vroller 63 is sopositioned thatit bears upon the upper horizontal annular face 5Ib ofthe casting 51. Preferably this casting has slightly milled out hollowspots 66 located atfour points 90 apart so that the mast may be more orless definitely located in each of four oriented positions with thecross arm 41 extending either forward or rearward parallel to the longerdimension of the base carriage 25 or in position extending laterally toeither side of the carriage; 25. It will be noted that the roller '63'ison that side of the mast beyond which the arm 41 extends to support theweight of the bracket 48;

,- the bottom tie bars- 58 are provided with a cen-'- trally ,locatedopeninginto. which enters a stud 61 which as shown in Fig. 11 is boltedto the central bottom vportion of the casting 5|. The positions of thebearing surfaces on the-disk 519 are accurately located with referenceto the stud 6-1 and all of the coacting bearing surfaces in-' cludingthe central aperture in the bars 58 are held to very small tolerances sothat the mast is very firmly supported in erected position.

For holding the mastflin assembled position within the base casting 5|,a latch '68 is slidably supported beneath the disk 59 in a bracket 69. Aspring 10 :urges the .latch radially outwardly. Through a slot 59b 'in:the disk 59 extends a pin or handle H by which the latch maybemanipulated. The nose of the latch is adapted to enter into an "annulargroove 51c in the inner wall -:of the "casting 5| near the top thereofwhen the mast is assembled in the base. i

Means .is provided .for moving the cross arm supporting carriage 46vertically along the mast 4'5and for holding this carriage in anyposition to which it is moved. This means comprises a gear 12 indicatedin Fig. 6 which engages the rack member 60 and which 'in turn isoperated bya pinion 13 which in turn is operated by a removable crankwhich may be inserted from either side of carriage :46 a't point :14. Inconnection with the gear mechanism T2, '13 we provide Patent No.2,123,528, granted July 12,1938, toEdwin R. Goldfield and Caperton B.Horsley, As clearly described in the said patent the crank handle may berotated freely. to move the carriage45 up and down but when manipulationof the crank handle ceases the built in clutch mechanism automaticallylocks the carriage in the position to which it has been moved. 1

the teaching of Patent No. 2,087,095,. granted f The horizontal crossarm 41 comprises a pair of parallel tubular members rigidly connectedtogether at one end by the tie bar and the-disk 16. This cross arm issupported on suitable rollers in the carriage 45so that the arm isfreely slidable in a horizontal direction. The cross arm 41 whendisassembled as shown inFigs. 8 and 8A is of approximately the samelength as the longer dimension of carriage or the various sections ofthe mast so as to fit in the same chest withthose parts. The ends of thetubular portions of the cross arm 41 opposite the tie bar 15 arenormally rigidly connected. together by means of an end plate assemblybest seen in Fig. 10. This comprises two bars 11 and 18 pivotallyconnected together at 19. In the bar 11 are two openings 11a adapted topass over the button projections 41a on the ends of the tubular membersof the cross arm 41. The arms 18 have slotted openings 18w adapted toswing into position embracing the neck portions 41b which supportthebuttons 41a so as to securethe end plate assembly on the two tubularmembers of the cross arm 41. Extruded spots 80 onlthe arms "and 18interengage with snap action to hold the end plate assembly in assembledposition untilthe same is forcibly removed. It will be understood thatwith the endplate assembly removed the cross arm 41 is readily insertedthrough the carriage 46 after which the end plate assembly is secured inposition to not only hold the connected ends ofthe cross arm 41 rigidbut also to limit transverse movement of the cross arm 41.

The bracket 48. is, removably mounted on the outer end of the cross arm41 for rotation relative thereto.

41c extending beyond the disk 16 which enters a suitable bossed openingin the bracket 48. Preferably the opening is provided with a plainbearing '8I which embraces the nose 41c. idly mounted on the nose andslightly spaced from the disk 16 is a truncated cone disk 82. Mounted onthe bracket 48 is a stamping 83 having an arm 83a which is. looselybolted to the bracket. The stamping has a beveled nose 83b which engagesbehind the cone surface of the disk 82 so as to hold the bracket48rotatably on the nose 41c and to act additionally as a friction lockif desired. A wing nut 84 controls the p0 The disk 16 ispro-.

on the right-hand side as viewed in Fig. 1, is

provided with a marking dial graduated in degrees so that the operatorcan determine the position of the main portion of bracket 48 relative tothe horizontal or vertical when adjusting the position of bracket 48rotatably about the nose 41c. i t

The mounting of the screen and X-ray tube onthe bracket 48 and themounting ofthis r e On. the gr a m, .41 pr er b y .f low Thisconstruction is best seen in Figs. Land 3a. The cross arm has a nose inrotatable fashion. I

October 26, 1937, to :Edwin R. Goldfield,Caperton'B. Horsley and RalphC. Schiring. Reference may behad to this patent for further descriptionif necessary. I

The X-ray tube .50 is of standard construetion andis removably securedat the point 9| to an arm of the bracket 48 by a-connection which isqinall respects similarto-that shown in Figs. 3A and the partshave the samedimensions so that if desired the bracket 48 may be removed from thenose 41c and the X-ray tube 58 imay. be directly mounted on the nose 410The high tension cables 4|] as previously men.- tioned are connectedbetween the transformer 33 and the X-ray tube 5|]. The excess length ofthese cablesis supported in two cable supports I I23 mounted on oppositesides of the cable support slide I24 which is movable up and down themast 45. A spring catch onthe slide I24 engages the rack 60 so as tohold the cable supports in any adjusted position. This construction isbest seen in Fig. 2 wherein the dog I16 is rigidly secured to an arm I11which is loosely mounted in the cable support slide. I24 so that the dogengages the rack 80. A spring I18 on a pin I18 yieldingly urges the doginto engagement with therack. The end of arm I11 overlies a portion ofcarriage .46 so that as the carriage is cranked upwardly the dog I16 isautomatically released,

and the cable support slide I24 moves up the mast 45 in advance ofcarriage 46.

The base carriage 25 as previously mentioned,

may be provided with a track I25 (Figs. 4 and 5) when some separateadditional surface is necessary to support the carriage or when the unitis used as a. foreign bodylocalizer. This: track is preferably providedin a plurality of sections, the dimensions of which permit them to beplaced in the same sized chest which accommodates the carriage 25, thevarious sections of the mast and other parts previously described. Inother words the longer dimension of each of the sections l'25a,j I25?and I250 is approximately the same as the longer' di-mension of thecarriage 25 and the width is not any greater than that of the carriage..Along one side of the track sections is secured a flat, plain tracksurface I26. Along the oppositesides of the sections runs a flange trackI21. These tracks may slope downwardly toward the floor at the pointsl26a and I21a so as to facilitate the movement of the carriage 25 on andoff the track. It will be understood that the track sections are securedto their respective of the sections I25a, b, e, when the parts, are

floor sections and are broken at approximately the same points althoughthe breaks in the track proper and the supporting base may be slightlyoverlapped if desired. Along the outside of track I21 are securedsections of a rack I28 which is adapted 'tofcoact with the foreign bodylocalizer as described in the above-mentionedv parent apunderneath. .Inthis space are slidably mounted:

channel-shape connecting members I28 which are slidably retained beneathone or the other packed in the field kit, but which may 'be pulled outto extend in connecting position,. one set between the sections I25a andI25b and "the other set b we n theseq ne fi a 5 These;

. draw bolts.

slidableccnne'ctors areheld imposition by'spring" pressed pins 130, thespring arms "cf-which are riveted tot-he base track sections at thepoints I31. The supports for connecting members 129 comprise upwardlyfacing channel members 129a secured to the under surface of the tracksections and embracing the members I29. Preferably another upwardlyfacing channel member l29b is secured along the center of each tracksection so that the edge flanges 12501 and the channel members l29aandI2'9b present a .fairly large surface to hand or soft ground upon whichthe equipment may rest in the fi'eld. Obviously also the members [29aprotect the connecting members -12 9 from dirt and thelike.

. .It is believed that the operation :of the appasition of Fig. 3 andraised .bymeans of carriage.

4G to the dot-dash position :of Fig. 3,. theequipmerit-may be-used forvertical fiuo-roscopy... .In this position of thepartsit will benotedthat the screen lllis directly in front of an operator standingalongside of the control box 36 withthe' control knobs 31 and the meters38 directly at the left-hand of the operator so that he may readilcontrol the equipment with his left hand" while manipulating the screenand other equ ip: 'men-t with his right hand. With the parts inthe'position of Fig. 1 it will be noted that the lower.

offset arm of bracket .48 extends sufficiently be low thecross arm 41that the tube 50 may be lowered practically to the floor or othersupporting surface upon which the carriage 25 rides.-

When the-apparatus is to be used for horizontal radiography thecarriage. 46 .is run up the mast 45, the bracket 48 is rotated 180 fromthe position shown in Fig. land the screen 49 is eitherzremoved orturned about a suitable pivot until it is out of the Way. With thisposition of the parts the tube 50 may be placed high above the patientbecause the offsetof bracket 48 relative to arm l'l-gives thisadditional height above the top-:of the mast 45. If it is desired totraverse.

the equipment lengthwise of the body of .a patient the casters 26 may belocked by the bolts 323 and the equipment maybe moved in a line parallelto the length of the .patients body. At the same time the transverse.movement made possible by the cross arm 41 permits traversingv oftheequipment in a direction at right angles to the patients body. l

A number of the parts which have "just been described may be packed in achest having'inside dimensions of 16 width, 28" length and 14 height. Atthe bottom of the chest may be packed-the top mast section, the twocenter mastsections "or tubular members and the folding In a layerjust-above this may be packed-the carriage/25 and on the top layer ofthechest maybe packed the bottom mastsection with the cross armsupportingcarriage in-p'osi tion thereon, together with the cross armitself, the cable supports and the radiation cone;

Inetting up this portion of'theapparatus the lower asearrss:

hasalreadybeendescribed.

i Ano therchest of thesame size above mentioned may have the X-ray tubepacked therein, together with the high tension shockproof cables, a tubemotor cable and other small'accessories. The control box may be packedin a chest of the sames'ize along with a main line cable forconnecting-the control box with the generator as previously mentioned,together with a foot switch and timer if desired, a lamp for theforsign-body localizer, spare parts and other smallaccessory equipment.'

In a fourth-chest maybe packed the dumpscop'ic screen and the bracket 48and the detachable parts of the foreign body localizer to be laterdescribed. Also the three track sections of Fig. 4 have approximatelythe same overall dimensions as the carriage '25 so that they may beplaced in the same size chest as the other parts. What we claim is:

X-rayapparatus comprising a low carriage movable on asupporting surface,a vertical mast on said carriage, an arm support movable along said mastdown to the level of said carriage, an arm horizontally movable in saidsupport, abracket on said arm-ofiset from said arm by an amountsubstantially equal to the height of said carriage above said surface,and an X-ray tube at the oifse't end of said-bracket, whereby with saidsupport at the bottom of said mast and with said bracket offset turneddownwardly said tube maybe placed substantially on said supportingsurfa'o r '2.-In X -"ray' apparatus, a low base carriage movableonasupporting surface, there being a recess in the upper face of saidcarriage, a transformer seated in said recess, there being-a secondrecess in the upper face of said transformer, a control 'box 'seatedin'saids'econd recess, and do: 'tachabletension means "holding saidcontrol-box and'transformer in position on said carriage.

3. In X-ray-apparatus, a base carriage, a vertical m ast for-supportingan X-ray tube, and a separable connection between the lower end ofsaid-mast and said carriage mounting saidmast for rotationabout avertical axis, said connection comprising a bearing in line with saidaxis, an annular bearing above said first bearing and concentric'with'saidaxis, a, horizontal bearing surface on said carriage, anda'roller on said mast engaging said horizontal bearing surface.

4.-'The= combination'of-claim 3 including an X- ray tube mounted on saidmast and laterally offset at one side of said mast, andsaid roller beinglocated at the same sideof said mast.

{5; In X-rayapparatus, a base carriage, wheel means at each endsupporting said carriage, one of said wheel means having caster mountingmeans, -'a vertical mast on said carriage, an armsupport movablealongsaid mast, an arm horizonta1ly;movablein said support, an X-ray tube onsaid arm, and means for'fixing the position of said caster mountingmeans to hold both of 'said' wheel means parallel, whereby said Wheelmeans support said carriage and tube for straight line;

movement in one direction and said arm sup ports said tube fortransverse movement in an other direction' Y ollnfapparatus of the classdescribed, a car-i flags-movable along ahori'zontal-surface; a vertiical mast on said carriage, a second carriage movable vertically on saidmast, an X-ray tube supported by said second carriage, electricitysupply equipment on said first named carriage cable meansbetweensaidlequipment and said tube, a support for said cable meansmovablevertically on said mast, a latch for holding said cable supportin adjusted position on said mast, and means for releasing said latch byupward movement of said second carriage. v i

7. In X-ray apparatus, abase carriage, a vertical mast on said carriagefor supporting an X- ray tube, said mast comprising two parallel tubes,

each tube having a plurality of members adapted to be assembled invertical alinement, said memmast, a horizontally movable arm slidable insaid last-named carriage, an X-ray tube on said arm,

rack portions on the several members of one of said parallel tubes, saidinterfitting parts being arranged to aline said rack portions when saidmembers are assembled, and a gear rotatably mounted on saidlast-namedcarriage and coacting with said rack to raise and lower saidlastnamed carriage as said gear is rotated.

EDWIN R. GOLDF'IELD. RALPH c. SCHIRING. ROBERT J sTAVA.

